Car-coupling.



Patented Sept. 2, I902.

2 Sheets-She'et -l.

INVENTDR W ATTORNEY JQE. WADE.

CAR COUPLING.

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1900.)

(No Model.)

252: ,H w gm NE E Q m 1 W0 F 0 1 No. 708,274. Patented Sept. 2, I902.

J. E. WADE. GAB COUPLING.

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1900.) (No Model.)

2 Shaets-Sheet 2.

UNIIED I Frames ATENT union.

JOHN E. I/VADE, 'OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

CAR -COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 708,274, dated September 2, 1902.

Application filed January 10, 1900. Serial No. 971- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E.WADE, a citizen of the United States, residing at 908 Greene avenue, in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gar-Con plers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to couplers for roll.- ing-stock; andit especially appertains to couplers of the vertical-plane or Janney type, each coupler comprising a draw-head with a swinging knuckle or jaw, having means for locking the latter in the closed position in conjunction with an opposed coupler, as also means for holding the swinging knuckle positively wide open when in the uncoupled position.

Briefly, myinvention comprises a draw-head of substantially the usual character, a swinging jaw pivoted thereto, and a pivotally-supported locking member capable of both vertical and a laterally-swinging movement under limitation, the complete lock, however, including as elements in its operative condition the swinging jaw, the locking member, and the knuckle of an opposed coupler.

In the drawings accompanying this application, Figure 1 is a top plan View of my improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section. Fig. 4 is a detail partial view of the knuckle, and Fig. 5 is a detail partial view of the head with the knuckle open.

In said figures, A indicates the ordinary draw-bar of a coupler, and B a coupler-head, this being of the usual Master Oar-Builders type.

0 indicates the knuckle or swinging jaw, the same having the coupler-arm c and the locking-arm c. A pin D is secured in the bifurcated portion of the coupler-head, as seen, and serves as a pivot for the knuckle O, a free space being provided within the bifurcation to permit of the vertical movement of the knuckle upon its pivot.

About the pintle bearing and upon the upper surface thereof I provide a forward grooved incline Z), and I provide a rearwardlyextending portion 1') at the upper end of the arm 0, said extended portion 1) partially encircling the pivot D and having its under surface inclined and grooved at b to correspond and register with the grooved incline b.

.it from injury.

The locking-arm c has a nose or catch portion c ,which is beveled rearwardly and downwardly to form an incline c Loosely pivoted upon a stationary vertical pin E is a locking member or pawl F, the same being supported normally by a collar 6 a sufficient height above the lower web of the coupler-head to permit the beveled nose 0 of arm 0 to pass wedge-like thereunder, raising the pawl F upon its pivot in the rearward passage of said arm 0. A stop block or web G, situate behind the pawl F, serves as a rearward limit or check to the inward pivotal .movement of pawl F, and a somewhat steep incline H, situate forwardly of pawl F, but out of the path of lockingarm 0, causes said pawl F to lie normally in contact with its rearward check-block G. Thus in the operation of the coupler as the knuckle Gis moved into the closed position the beveled nose 0 of locking-arm 0 takes under the pawlF, and the latter being unable to turn rearwardly on account of limit G raises said pawl upon its pin E until the nosec is clear of said pawl, when the latter falls by gravity in front of the former. It is obvious that at this stage in theinstance of the experimental manipulation of an individual coupler the only resistance to the swinging open again of the knuckle is the weight of metal of the pawl F in the path of the arm 0 and the power requisite to force said pawl up the incline II. Considering that the knuckle C is while in the closed position supported at the top of its inclined ball-bearing b and that the weight of the knuckle is greatly in excess of the weight of the pawl, it is quite obvious that the natural inclination of the knuckle will be to swing out to the wide-open position, removing the pawl from its path in so doing, the latter, however, immediately afterward returning to its normal position in readiness} to meet the nose again. Thus it is evident that an individual coupler in itself 1s incapable of locking in the closed position or of holding its knuckle in other than a Wide-open position. It is, in fact, essential that the pawl F be locked in its normal position to hold the coupler closed, and this function I perform not by the addition of other parts, but by the interposition of a twin opposing coupler either of my improved or of the ordinary Janney type. In other words, when the space existing between the coupling-arm of a closed knuckle and the mouth of the coupler is occupied with the bulk of an opposing knuckle the latter forms a bearng-surface for the pawl, which by contactlng therewith is prevented from moving out of the path of the nose of locking-arm c. In fact,the greater the parting tension applied to a pair of these interlocked couplers the more firmly are they united, because the pulling strain is communicated directly by the pawl F onto the intercoupled opposing knuckle, which latter is caught, as in a vise, between the pawl F and coupling arm 0. Hardly any strain comes upon the pin E of pawl F, as in service the latter is actually a wedge held between the locking-arm c and the knuckle of the coupler mate. To un couple, the pawl F is raised until out of the path of the locking-arm, as by a chain f, connected therewith, or by a lever (not shown) engaging with the side or under surface of said pawl.

The pawl-contacting surface 0 of the nose 0 may be curved, as seen in Fig. 2, to more readily permit the pawl to fall in front when the locking-arm .c' has been forced inwardly to its limit by effecting a better clearance.

Necessarily the pawl F is capable of swinging normally into the space to be occupied by an opposing knuckle that it may bridge the usual slack existing when a pair of couplers are interlocked to become an efiective wedge lock-piece.

The main features of my invention are that by its use couplers can never be locked excepting when a pair are united and when disengaged they 'remain normally in the wideopen position, thus avoiding the necessity of having to send a man between the cars to pull open a knuckle; also, that the operative parts are few and simple and the strain in service is properly distributed.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a car-coupling, a draw-l1ead,a knuckle pivoted therein and a movable locking-piece adapted to engage said knuckle and a transient member whereby said coupling is locked.

2. In a car-coupling, a draw-head,a knuckle pivoted therein, comprising an engaging jaw and a locking arm at approximately right angles thereto and a vertically-movable locking-piece adapted to be raised by said arm and to engage said arm and a transient member whereby said coupling is locked.

In a car-coupling, a draw-head,a knuckle pivoted therein, comprising an engaging jaw and a locking-arm at approximately right angles thereto, and a vertically-movable swinging locking-piece adapted to be raised by said arm and to engage said arm and a transient member whereby the coupler is locked and also adapted upon withdrawal of said transient member to swing outwardly, whereby said knuckle is permitted to assume the open position.

4. In a car-couplin g, a draw-head,a knuckle pivoted therein, comprising an engaging jaw and a locking-arm at approximately right an gles thereto, a vertically-movable swinging locking-piece adapted to be raised by said arm and to engage said arm and a transient member whereby the coupler is locked and also adapted upon the withdrawal of said transient member to swing outwardly whereby said knuckle is permitted to assume the open position and respective means whereby the oscillation in each direction of said lockingpiece is limited.

5. In a car-coupling, a draw-head,a knuckle pivoted therein comprising an engaging jaw and a locking-arm at approximately right angles thereto, an inclined bearing therefor whereby it normally assumes the open position, a vertically-movable swinging lockingpiece adapted to be raised by said arm and to engage said arm and a transient member whereby said coupler is locked and also adapted upon the withdrawal of said transient member to swing outwardly whereby said knuckle is permitted to assume the open position and respective means whereby the oscillation in each direction of said locking-piece is limited.

6. In a car-coupling, a draw-head,a knuckle pivoted therein comprising an engaging jaw and a locking'arm at approximately right angles thereto an inclined bearing therefor whereby it normally assumes the open position, a stop G and an incline II in said drawhead and a vertically-movable swinging locking-piece pivoted between said stop and said incline and adapted to be raised by said arm and to engage said arm and a transient member whereby said coupling is locked.

7. In a car-coupling, a draw-head,a knuckle pivoted therein comprising an engaging jaw and a wedge-like locking-arm at approximately right angles thereto, an inclined bearing therefor whereby it normally assumes the open position, a stop G and an incline H in said draw head and a vertically movable swinging locking-piece pivoted between said stop and said incline and adapted to be raised by said locking-arm and to engage said arm and a transient member whereby said coupling is locked.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. I/VADE.

Witnesses:

ISRAEL ELLIs, L. T. SULLIVAN. 

